The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile communication device having the capability for utilizing the Internet.
A mobile communication device is understood to be any device which can be carried along by a user and wirelessly exchanges data. As a rule, current mobile communication devices are based on mobile radio telephones which are provided with additional functions.
The mobile use of the communication device has increased significance particularly when moving using a vehicle. However, it may be that the circumstances of utilization will then change.
For example, a mobile radio telephone can be used in a motor vehicle, being operable via operating units in the motor vehicle. In this case, communication of units in the motor vehicle with the mobile radio telephone takes place via Bluetooth® interfaces. In a motor vehicle, capabilities offered by the Internet can be appropriately utilized. For example, a route planner of the Internet can be used for the purpose of navigation, it then being possible to draw images with map representations or also photographs from space from the Internet and provide these in the motor vehicle. Such images are provided in particular by Google Earth®. A user will pay not inconsiderable amounts for downloading data from the Internet in the case of large amounts of data. He will possibly use a flat rate in order not to have to always bear costs in an individual case. Such a flat rate applies, e.g., to the home country (from the point of view of the customer who concludes a contract with his communication network provider). If the user takes his mobile communication device into a foreign country, the costs may be not inconsiderable.
There have hitherto only been restricted possibilities of protecting a user of the Internet against excessive costs, or also only of displaying the costs to him, by using a mobile communication device.
WO 2006/002048A1 discloses that people, such as parents which want to monitor their children, can restrict the use of a mobile communication appliance by other people (for example by the children). Thus, it is possible to prescribe that particular calls can be made only at particular times or only at particular locations, which are captured by a position sensor in the mobile communication appliance. The same can be done for the use of the Internet by the people being monitored.
U.S. 2006/0246878A1 relates to the reception of messages by a mobile communication appliance, wherein the latter is notified of the presence of messages, then a check is performed using particular rules and a message is retrieved if appropriate. The rules can be prescribed or can be learnt gradually on the basis of user inputs.
EP 1 693 750 A1 states that the reception of data by a mobile communication appliance can be limited by counting in the latter and comparison with a threshold value.
U.S. 200310236818A1 relates to the provision of navigation data for a motor vehicle by a service center outside the motor vehicle. The service center is told the starting location and the destination for a journey, and the service center then transmits data for a route it has calculated to the motor vehicle. This is also done during the actual journey, in particular. In this case, it is possible to take account of the fact that transmission of data is technically possible only to a restricted degree or is desirable, for reasons of cost, at particular locations of the motor vehicle.